Benjamin Mayhew IX
Encyclopedia
Protector Benjamin Mayhew IX is a fictional character
in the Honorverse
, a series of military science fiction
novels written by David Weber
.
As Protector, Benjamin Mayhew IX is the hereditary head of state of the Protectorate of Grayson and the liege lord of the planet's feudal system of government. Unlike other monarchs in the Honorverse
, such as the Queen of Manticore
and the Andermani
Emperor, Benjamin's powers as Protector have long been limited by tradition and the unwritten part of Grayson's Constitution.
Benjamin's education has been unusual for a citizen of Grayson, as he studied in Old Earth at Harvard University
's Bogota campus, majoring in history and government science. His off-world education has led him to be an advocate for reform and liberalization of Grayson society, something that has often placed him at odds with the planet's traditionally conservative leadership.
After becoming Protector, Benjamin's reform projects were hampered by his traditionally limited powers and the opposition of the planet's great feudal lords, the Steadholders. The emergency of Grayson's sudden war with Masada gave him the opportunity to enforce Grayson's written Constitution (which actually gave him broad powers) and reassert the primacy of the Protector over the Steadholders. This "Mayhew Restoration", with its strong parallels to the Meiji Restoration
, has led fans to compare Benjamin to Japan
's Meiji Emperor. After the war, Benjamin formalized Grayson's alliance with Manticore against Haven
and finally began his great reform of Grayson society.
A major ally in his reform drive has been Honor Harrington herself, whom Protector Benjamin appointed as Steadholder and as Admiral in the Grayson Navy as a reward for her services to Grayson and as an example of the place women could reach in society. Conversely, Benjamin has often come to the help of Honor Harrington when she needed it, and is one of Admiral Harrington's closest friends.
Like most Grayson males, Benjamin is polygamous; he has two wives, Katherine and Elaine, and is father to eight children: Rachel, Theresa, Jeanette, Honor, Bernard Raoul –the heir to the Protectorship under Grayson's male-heir line of succession–, Alexandra, Lawrence and Arabella. The Protector's unusual hobby is floriculture and flower arrangement.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Honorverse
Honorverse
The Honorverse refers to the military science fiction book series and sub-series created by David Weber and published by Baen Books. The series is set primarily after Honor Harrington's October 1, 3961, birth; although she is the protagonist in most of the stories, more recent entries make only...
, a series of military science fiction
Military science fiction
Military science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction in which the principal characters are members of a military service and an armed conflict is taking place, normally in space, or on a planet other than Earth...
novels written by David Weber
David Weber
David Mark Weber is an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Weber and his wife Sharon live in Greenville, South Carolina with their three children and "a passel of dogs"....
.
As Protector, Benjamin Mayhew IX is the hereditary head of state of the Protectorate of Grayson and the liege lord of the planet's feudal system of government. Unlike other monarchs in the Honorverse
Honorverse
The Honorverse refers to the military science fiction book series and sub-series created by David Weber and published by Baen Books. The series is set primarily after Honor Harrington's October 1, 3961, birth; although she is the protagonist in most of the stories, more recent entries make only...
, such as the Queen of Manticore
Star Kingdom of Manticore
The Star Kingdom of Manticore , frequently referred to as Manticore or the Star Kingdom, is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse series of military science fiction novels and short stories by David Weber and others, published by Baen Books.- Depiction :The Star Kingdom was founded in the...
and the Andermani
Andermani Empire
The Anderman Empire is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse, the background setting for a series of novels and short stories in the military science fiction genre, written by David Weber and others and published by Baen Books.- Overview :...
Emperor, Benjamin's powers as Protector have long been limited by tradition and the unwritten part of Grayson's Constitution.
Benjamin's education has been unusual for a citizen of Grayson, as he studied in Old Earth at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
's Bogota campus, majoring in history and government science. His off-world education has led him to be an advocate for reform and liberalization of Grayson society, something that has often placed him at odds with the planet's traditionally conservative leadership.
After becoming Protector, Benjamin's reform projects were hampered by his traditionally limited powers and the opposition of the planet's great feudal lords, the Steadholders. The emergency of Grayson's sudden war with Masada gave him the opportunity to enforce Grayson's written Constitution (which actually gave him broad powers) and reassert the primacy of the Protector over the Steadholders. This "Mayhew Restoration", with its strong parallels to the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, has led fans to compare Benjamin to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's Meiji Emperor. After the war, Benjamin formalized Grayson's alliance with Manticore against Haven
People's Republic of Haven
The Republic of Haven is a fictional star-nation in the Honorverse, the background setting for a series of novels and short stories in the military science fiction genre, written by David Weber and others and published by Baen Books....
and finally began his great reform of Grayson society.
A major ally in his reform drive has been Honor Harrington herself, whom Protector Benjamin appointed as Steadholder and as Admiral in the Grayson Navy as a reward for her services to Grayson and as an example of the place women could reach in society. Conversely, Benjamin has often come to the help of Honor Harrington when she needed it, and is one of Admiral Harrington's closest friends.
Like most Grayson males, Benjamin is polygamous; he has two wives, Katherine and Elaine, and is father to eight children: Rachel, Theresa, Jeanette, Honor, Bernard Raoul –the heir to the Protectorship under Grayson's male-heir line of succession–, Alexandra, Lawrence and Arabella. The Protector's unusual hobby is floriculture and flower arrangement.